Packing cushion, etc.



PAcxINGcUsHIoN, ETC

Filedl June 29, 1937 .fall/.1111.1 '11111111111111111111'."1111., Wu...

e N d@ 1% @BY /m W/ @muy/Wwf@ y /MQ ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2,135,956 d v PACKING CUSHION, Ero. John H. Wuoaau, Woodland, Ga. Application June 29, 1937, Serial No. 150,911

4 claims. (o1. 217-124) This invention relates to closures for baskets used for packing produce such as peaches, apples, or other fruit or vegetables. Ordinarily the baskets are referred to as fruit baskets, since their major use is in the paoknggof fruit. In some respects the present invention is an improvement on my prior invention disclosed in application Serial No. 43,464, led October 4, 1935.

In packing fruit in baskets it is customary to ll the basket heaping full and then force the cover down to compress the mass of fruit, thereby preventing the fruit from shifting about during shipment. As explained in my application Serial No, 43,464, a cushion is inserted between the closure and the fruit. The insertion of a suitable cushion in this manner has proved effective in preventing bruising of fruit. However, the cushions used heretofore have hampered the chilling of the fruit for transport in refrigeration cars and the like, though considerable improvement in this respect was effected by my prior invention referred to above.

After the fruit has been packed the baskets are stacked in a refrigerator car and pre-cooled by supplying cold air to the interior of the car from an outside source. After the fruit has been suinciently chilled the cars are iced and closed for transportation. The cooling off of the entire contents of the fruit baskets is necessarily a somewhat slow process; and the train must be held at the station until it is completed. Thus it is desirable to expedite the pre-cooling as much as is feasible.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a cushion which will interfere as little as possible with the chilling of the fruit, while providing adequate protection for the fruit.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide such a cushion which can be rapidly and economically manufactured on a quantity production basis.

Various specific objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein.

In attaining these desirable objects the cushion is made with a relatively large central aperture, which permits the warm air in the center of the basket to flow upwardly and be replaced by cold air flowing down the sides. Preferably apertures are also provided in the periphery of the cushion for the downward entry of cold air adjacent to the inner wall of the basket.

One suitable form of construction is illustrated by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. lis a side elevation, partly in section, of a packed basket with a cushion of the present invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the cushion per se.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the cushion per se.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the cushion and basket cover inthe rst stage of the closure operation. i

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the cushion and basket cover in final position.

The basket I shown in the drawing is of conventional form, having a reinforced rim 2. The cover 3 is formed of wooden slats, and has a depending rim 4 which aids in positioning the cushion 5 and serves to restrict the extent to which the cover can be forced down onto the fruit.

The cushion 5 comprises a disc 6 of light cardboard, heavy paper, or like material. To the top of disc 6 there is secured a disc 'I of light weight paper which has its margin la folded under and glued to the top of the disc 6 to form an envelope, within which is arranged a mass of cushioning material 8. At the center the sheets 6 and 'I' are also glued together, so that the envelope is of annular form; and the glued central parts of the sheets are perforated to form one large aperture I0. In some instances I surround the aperture I0 with a number of smaller apertures I I, which are also located in the glued central parts of sheets 6 and l. In other instances I omit the apertures II. The cushioning material should have considerable resiliency and one of the mostk suitable materials for the purpose is excelsior.

As shown, the disc '6 has a margin projecting beyond the edge of the basket; and this margin acts to prevent rim cuts, as explained in my prior application referred to previously. If desired, the periphery of sheet 6 may be serrated, as indicated in the drawing, for decorative effect. This margin is provided with apertures I2, through which cold air can descend adjacent to the interior wall of the basket.

The cover 3 being formed of slats, has ample spaces for the flow of air to the peripheral apertures I2 and from the central apertures I0 and Il, thus permitting thermal flow of air through the fruit, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. l, when the warm basket is subjected to a cold atmosphere. Also there is usually Ventilating space in the side wall of the basket, and often through the center of the bottom of the basket. Preferably, the cushioningenvelope is made of a diameter sufficient toy extend well beyond the crowns of the outermost fruit as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawing and .above particularly described, within the principle and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims. However, the best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention has been disclosed.

I claim:

1. A basket cushion comprising: a disc of heavy paper material; a disc of light paper material superimposed upon the heavy disc, the peripherial and center portions of the light disc being secured to the heavy disc, and there being a relatively large aperture through the center portions of the two discs; and an annular mass of cushioning material positioned between the two discs.

2. A basket cushion comprising: an annular envelope; and an annular mass of cushioning material within the envelope, the envelope being formed by two discs adhesively secured together tt their peripherial and central portions, one of the discs having a perforated rim projecting outwardly from the envelope, and there being a Ventilating opening through the adhesively secured central portions of the discs. Y

3. A basket cushion comprising: a disc of heavy paper material having a relatively large central aperture and also having a series of apertures adjacent to its periphery; a disc o'f light paper superimposed upon the heavy disc, the light disc having a large central aperture registering with the central aperture of the heavy disc, and the two discs being adhesively secured together at their central portions, and also along an annular zone inside of said series of apertures; and a mass of cushioning material trapped between the two discs.

4. A basket cushion comprising: a disc of heavy paper material having a relatively large central aperture and also having a series of apertures adjacent to its periphery; a disc of light paper superimposed upon the heavy disc, the light disc having a large central aperture registering with Vthe central aperture of the heavy disc, and the two discs being adhesively secured together at their central portions, the

periphery of the lightdisc being folded inwardly Y and adhesively secured to the heavy disc along an annular zone inside of said series of apertures; and a mass of cushioning material trapped between the two discs.

JOHN H. WOODALL. 

